Fall 2013. My friend Shuhei Kitagawa and I were sitting in a cafe at the University of Washington, talking Japanese food. Shuhei was a college student at the time, on exchange from Waseda University in Tokyo, where he was studying economics. “Next time you’re in Tokyo,” he said, “you should try my favorite ramen…

Seattle’s favorite food is something hardly anyone ever talks about, even though thousands of its residents eat it every day. Restaurants serving it vastly outnumber burger places, pho joints, and Thai restaurants, but nobody’s posting glistening photos of it on Instagram. It’s not the type of establishment Anthony…

Flipping TV channels in Japan offers a sensory overload unmatched by anything in the world. Click. A girl group with 75 members in matching costumes, singing lyrics about the boyfriend they’re contractually prohibited from having in real life. Click. A comedian getting punched in the nuts on a variety show. Click. A…